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| Educational handhelds enrich scientific investigation through data collection, experimentation and analysis
PHILADELPHIA - March 27, 2003 - In 1993, there were 4.1 million computers in use at public schools compared to 12.7 million today, one to one computing hadn’t been coined yet, and students had to analyze science and math projects at their desks or lab table. It was in this environment that Texas Instruments, the leader in handheld educational technology, and Vernier Software & Technology, the leader in data collection tools and software, began collaborating on how their portable technology could take science and math into the world and make them more exciting and relevant to students. The two are now celebrating 10 years of making portable data collection and analysis a reality for thousands of classrooms.
The companies continue to build on this expertise with today’s announcement at the National Science Teachers Association National Convention of several new professional development and support services. The jointly developed initiatives include face-to-face and online professional development programs through Teachers Teaching with Technology (T3™), and an online subscription to popular Vernier Lab books focusing on data collection.
Through an alliance with T3, Vernier and TI have produced five, face-to-face training institutes and one new online training course:
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| • | Vernier/T3 Biology with TI Handhelds |
| • | Vernier/T3 Chemistry with TI Handhelds |
| • | Vernier/T3 Earth Science with TI Handhelds |
| • | Vernier/T3 Middle School Science with TI Handhelds |
| • | Vernier/T3 Physics with TI Handhelds |
| • | Vernier/T3 Introduction to Scientific Data Collection and Analysis (Online) |
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| Teachers participating in the face-to-face courses, available in a one- to five-day format beginning in April, will receive a certificate of attendance for completion of the course. Teachers participating in the online course, available in May, will earn 35 Continuing Education Units (CEU) and /or graduate credit.
Also, TI and Vernier have developed new online subscription supplemental materials as a part of TI’s Online Subscriptions series. Titled, "Online Subscription to Science Data Collection with Vernier and TI Handhelds," the online materials sell for a one-time fee of $85 and are accessible to all teachers in a school’s science department. The new series is available at education.ti.com/explorations.
"Working with TI over the past decade has allowed us to expand our reach into additional markets. We share a common vision, values and philosophies on education," said David Vernier, CEO and founder of Vernier Software & Technology. "When our organizations were first introduced, we were very impressed with TI’s commitment to teachers and their deep pledge to understand educators’ classroom challenges and professional development needs. This very much mirrored our strategy and approach. As a physics teacher myself, I could see how TI’s dedication to education would truly set them apart as a partner. This dedication is what fuels us to continue developing leading-edge products and services for teachers."
"Vernier has led the development of probeware and data collection devices for 22 years. Through our work with Vernier, we’ve learned an immense amount about the dynamics of the science classroom and teachers’ needs," said Tom Ferrio, vice president of TI Educational & Productivity Solutions. "Our partnership continues to evolve through the development of reliable, portable and reasonably priced educational tools, supplemental materials and professional development training. Together we’ll continue to look for ways to enhance the classroom experience and create real value for our teacher community."
During TI’s and Vernier’s 10-year working relationship, the companies have co-developed CBR™, a motion detection device; CBL 2™, Calculator-Based Laboratory™ for collecting and analyzing real-world data; and the Vernier LabPro® data-collection device. In addition, they have supported educator use of these technologies with professional development training sessions.
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About Texas Instruments
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| Educational & Productivity Solutions, a business of Texas Instruments, is a market leader in education technology, providing a wide range of advanced classroom tools that enable students and teachers to interactively explore a diverse curriculum of educational subjects. TI's learning tools and services are designed with leading educators to meet the evolving needs of the classroom. Connecting the classroom experience with real-world applications, TI’s products include a broad line of handheld technology, computer software and data-collecting devices. Additionally, TI has worked closely with educators and administrators for more than 15 years to develop student-focused curricular and supplemental materials for the classroom, and supports the world’s largest professional development organization focusing on the appropriate use of educational technology. More information is available at www.education.ti.com
Texas Instruments Incorporated is the world leader in digital signal processing and analog technologies, the semiconductor engines of the Internet age. In addition to Semiconductor, the company's businesses also include Sensors & Controls, and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN.
Handheld technology leadership measured in USA by Decision Analyst, Inc.
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About Vernier
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| Vernier Software & Technology, based in Beaverton, Oregon, was founded in 1981 by Dave Vernier. He was teaching high school physics and realized that there were many things that new personal computers could do to help science teachers. The company started with software and hardware for Apple® II products, with the first programs being available on cassette or disk, and then moved on to Commodore 64, MS-DOS®, Macintosh®, Windows®, Power Macintosh®, and TI handheld graphing technology. TI’s CBL 2 was recently named one of Curriculum Administrator’s Top 100 Products for Education. Vernier’s LabPro won the American Association of Physics Teachers’ Most Innovative New Product Award for 2000, as well as wards from Technology & Learning and Media & Methods magazines. Vernier has had 22 consecutive years of growth in sales and won many regional and state growth awards. The company has grown to 60 great employees, three employee owners and was recently named as one of the 100 Best Places to Work in Oregon for the fourth consecutive year. For more information, visit www.vernier.com.
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